Red Queen is a book that I picked up in the middle of seventh grade- the book had just come out a few months ago, and I’d heard a lot about it, so I decided to give it a go. Red Queen is set in a world that is divided by blood- red or silver. Reds are commoners, while the Silvers have some kind of superpower, and comprise the nobility. The protagonist, Mare Barrow, is a red, from one of the poorest sections of the society- The Stilts. She pickpockets for a living until a series of events leads her to working as a servant in the Silver Palace.
A series of unfortunate events leads to Mare realizing that she is an anomaly: she has red blood, but she has a power of her own-to control electricity. The consequences of this revelation are deadly, as this could lead to widespread chaos, in the already unstable kingdom (Norta). To smoothen down matters, the Silvers, with Tiberias Calore VI as king, hide Mare in plain sight. They fabricate a story that she is a long-lost princess “Mareena Titanos”, and betroth her to the younger prince- Maven Calore.
Mare’s actions are constantly monitored, and a single misstep could mean death. She, however, steadily continues to aid the Scarlet Guard, a militant rebel group of Reds, who work to abolish the dictatorial monarchy.
The book is replete with political intrigue and angst, and Mare plays a game of cat and mouse, between the two Calore brothers- Tiberias “Cal” Calore VII, the crown prince, and her betrothed, Maven Calore. She plays a dangerous game, by pitting prince against prince. She seduces, manipulates and convinces her betrothed to side with her, to facilitate the rebellious activities of the Scarlet Guard. The violence, gore and drama build as the book progresses. Every time I’d begin to think that Aveyard was going down a typical Young Adult trope, she’d throw in an unforeseeable plot twist.
One of the major reasons I adore Red Queen, is because of the depth that Aveyard adds to every character- there’s the lost, innocent and timid Maven, the fiery, perfect Cal, the manipulative Queen Elara and the kind and scholarly Julian Jacos. Every character is so likeable, regardless of whether they are protagonists or antagonists. One of the major problems that I still have, is that I root for the antagonist more than anyone else.
The ending of Red Queen is one of the most horrifying, but brilliantly executed endings I’ve ever read. It left me heartbroken and angry, which I’m perfectly sure was the reaction Aveyard wanted to elicit from a reader.
Although the first book Red Queen is pretty appropriate for a 12/13-year-old, as the series progresses, the level of politics and violence increases to a point where it’s more appropriate for 15/16-year-olds. In a way, Red Queen is akin to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which is quite kid friendly. I’d hardly say that The Deathly Hallows is meant for young children though.
The second book Glass Sword doesn’t have the same level of political intrigue that Red Queen does, but it is much more violent and haunting. The third book, King’s Cage, remains my unrequited favourite book of the entire series. Aveyard drew inspiration from the 2016 US elections, in crafting the politics of Norta, which is clearly reflected. The level of mind-games and manipulation that King’s Cage has is absolutely incredible. The book is replete with forced propaganda, internal conflict and courtly scheming. It is in King’s Cage that we get a true breakdown of the psyche of our main characters, and the conclusions that can be drawn from that are eye-opening and startling.
For me, the entire series was a four-year rollercoaster ride. I’d picked up the first book, just months after it had come out, which meant I waited a year between books, which was agonizing since Aveyard loves cliff-hangers. The final book, War Storm, came out just after tenth grade, and I totally devoured it once it came out.
In all, this is a series I’d recommend to anyone: Whether you like fantasy, romance or political intrigue, this is definitely the series. Although Red Queen might seem like a typical Young Adult novel in some ways, the series as a whole strays far away from the typical bounds of YA, and is an exhilarating and heartbreaking read.